Mashrou’ Leila (Arabic: مشروع ليلى) were a four piece indie rock band base… Read Full Bio ↴Mashrou’ Leila (Arabic: مشروع ليلى) were a four piece indie rock band based in Beirut. Their rousing, sensual electro- pop anthems about political freedoms, LGBT rights, race, religion and modern Arabic identity have challenged the status quo of the Middle-Eastern music industry. The loose collective of students who began jamming together in 2008 at the American University of Beirut has gradually focused into a an ambitious, fiercely articulate quartet: vocalist/lyricist Hamed Sinno, guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Firas Abou Fakher, violinist Haig Papazian, and drummer Carl Gerges. And the music they make has focused, too, into a charged, atmospheric version of pop that is geographically impossible to place. The lyrics draw on their collective experiences, which the band shares with the youth of the Middle East, and addresses the need for self-expression and a judgment free culture— a notion often stifled in a conservative society. Through their relevant and charged lyrics, their music has resonated with fans all over the globe, gaining international recognition for the band. They have been described as ‘The voice of their generation’ (CNN), ’the most successful Arabic-language band internationally’ (The Guardian) and “the new face of Middle Eastern pop music” (Dazed).
You can hear Leila, cascading melts of masculine vocals only suspended with thrusts of violin, beats and bass – attacked by neurotic melody that means no harm – sometimes tender, even sometimes on pause. Through the music, you can smell where Leila has been, in bed sheets, on sidewalks, jasmines in rifles and spilled coffee on dresses as she made you play with aubergines, dancing her dance. Music has constantly been their place to play with things, to match and mis-match, a project.
In the various performances, Mashrouʼ Leila is a constant attempt to taste and produce, more than happy to harvest anyone from the audience as a guest in their encores. They have performed around Lebanon since 2008, playing in various venues in Beirut, taking over supposed public piazzas as well as clubs, pubs, hybrids and the such – they also played in Zahle, Sour, Jounieh, Saida and Deir el Qamar, each of which pushed forward their thinking about how to go about their music, lyrics and performance. It is only when Mashrouʼ Leila goes live, that you can actually catch a glimpse of Leila. As it talks to you of Beirut, the city that tastes of the absurd, the product of its day-to-day experiences, its stubborn security and lack of the latter, its musical bombshells, incoherent sexuality and thrusting pleasure…narcotic pain – as it brings forward hints of Arabic Tarab, rock, to folk pop, electro, you can see Leila in every man and woman in the silent- come-raving audience. In this trajectory, they participated in music workshops and concerts in Amman and Cairo to maneuver their way into a pan-Arab music scene, to know and to announce, more importantly to grow, musically.
In March 2009, Mashrouʼ Leila won the Lebanese Modern Music Contest jury prize and public vote organized by Radio Liban in partnership with CCF, Incognito and the Basement. They released their debut album in December 2009 at what turned out to be Beirut’s biggest alternative (read non-mainstream) event in recent years.
The months leading up to the Arab Spring proved fruitful for Leila as well. In July 2010, Mashrou’ Leila headlined Byblos International Music festival alongside the Gorillaz and Caetano Veloso; this was the first time a Lebanese band was given a headlining post in the festival and proved to be Mashrou’ Leila’s biggest concert yet. Fall of 2010-11 saw Leila pack up her suitcases with shows in Qatar at the Doha Tribeca International Film Festival and at the Vodafone Big Day Out, headlining alongside Hoobastank and Toploader, in the United Arab Emirates at the Du World Music Festival and the Music Room – Dubai’s leading live music venue and in Egypt where the live at the Genaina Theater show saw a sold out crowd with people gathering outside the venue premises for a peek.
In the summer of 2011, Mashrou’ Leila released "el Hal Romancy" E.P., five songs of new material recorded in mountain retreats with cousins and turkish coffee, in the abandoned concrete dome in the Tripoli world Fair and with a quintet of strings on cold winter nights. The release was held at the Hippodrome of Beirut. Mashrou’ Leila also added Serbia and Jordan to the map, with a spot in the 4 day prestigious Exit Festival in Serbia and a 2 night show at the Citadel in Jordan.
After two years, one spent writing the other spent producing, one crowd funding campaign, touring and gigging all around, Mashrou’ Leila released their 3rd Album “Raasük” on 27 August, 2013, recorded at the mighty Hotel 2 Tango in Montreal.
The first hint of new material arrived when the band started a campaign asking the members of their social media pages to submit lyrics and video ideas to be incorporated in the band's upcoming single. "3 Minutes" was released on March 17, 2015.
Contrary to their common method of writing and producing songs, the band decided not to test their new material in live concerts, opting instead for secrecy and mystery about their fourth album. The band recorded the 13 tracks in studio La Frette in France over the summer with French-Lebanese producer Samy Osta, and worked on orchestral and brass arrangements with the Macedonian Radio Orchestra in F.A.M.E's Studios in Macedonia. The band has said that this album is their most pop album to date, and deals with topics that range from the euphoric to the destructive and depressive, all taking place in the politically, socially, and sexually charged spaces of Beirut's night.
The band experimented with drum machines, loops, samples, and several synthesizers in a new method of composition, trying to accommodate for the departure of keyboard player Omaya Malaeb. "Maghawir" narrates a possible version of a club shooting in Beirut, drawing on references to real Lebanese case histories from two different shootings that took place within the same week, both of which resulted in the deaths of extremely young victims, each of who was out celebrating their birthday." During a show in Boston, the band explained that the song "Tayf (Ghost)" is about a shuttered gay club, and "Bint Elkhandaq" tells the story of a friend who learned, "as hard as it is to be a woman in Beirut, it’s just as hard to be brown in the West."
The album is heavily loaded with allusions and references, both to contemporary figures of pop, and to mythological figures of gods and demons.
On the November 28, the band released Ibn El Leil at the Barbican in London with live broadcasting on MTV Lebanon available to the entire world to positive reviews. "In the seven years since Mashrou’ Leila formed at the American University of Beirut, the quintet – whose name, in fact, means 'overnight project' – have won comparisons to everyone from Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead to Roxy Music and Wild Beasts."
On December 1, Ibn El Leil debuted at the number one spot on local iTunes channels, and charted as number 11 on the international world Billboard charts. "It’s such an impressive performance that stadiums seem not only possible but imminent."
The band released a music video for their single "Roman" on July 19, 2017. The single was included on the deluxe version of Ibn El Leil released July 21, 2017.
On February 8, 2019, Mashrou' Leila released a new single, "Cavalry", the first from their upcoming album The Beirut School. The Beirut School was released on March 1, 2019. The album includes some songs from the group's previous album. The group toured North America in 2019 in support of the album.
On Aug. 9, 2019, the band was set to perform at the Byblos International Festival. The concert was banned against the backdrop of widespread rejection and accusation that the lyrics of one of the group’s songs offend the Christian faith.
In September 2022, Sinno announced that the band would be disbanding. Sinno cited harassment and hate campaigns as a reason for the band breaking up, especially because of Mashrou’ Leila’s hardships with bans in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. The real reason for restrictions on the band is his declared gender identity, as he defines himself as being queer — something that he believes was behind the attacks on the musical group and their work over the past years.
Many of the group’s songs touch on the issue of homosexuality, namely the 2009 song “Sham El Yasmine,” which speaks of a forbidden relationship and love between two men, and their struggle to lead normal lives together. The band also produced several songs addressing social and political topics in unconventional ways. The group members also touched on love, marriage, sex, religion, emancipation, the reality of Arab cities and revolutions, political assassinations and other thorny issues in the Arab world.
www.mashrou3leila.com
You can hear Leila, cascading melts of masculine vocals only suspended with thrusts of violin, beats and bass – attacked by neurotic melody that means no harm – sometimes tender, even sometimes on pause. Through the music, you can smell where Leila has been, in bed sheets, on sidewalks, jasmines in rifles and spilled coffee on dresses as she made you play with aubergines, dancing her dance. Music has constantly been their place to play with things, to match and mis-match, a project.
In the various performances, Mashrouʼ Leila is a constant attempt to taste and produce, more than happy to harvest anyone from the audience as a guest in their encores. They have performed around Lebanon since 2008, playing in various venues in Beirut, taking over supposed public piazzas as well as clubs, pubs, hybrids and the such – they also played in Zahle, Sour, Jounieh, Saida and Deir el Qamar, each of which pushed forward their thinking about how to go about their music, lyrics and performance. It is only when Mashrouʼ Leila goes live, that you can actually catch a glimpse of Leila. As it talks to you of Beirut, the city that tastes of the absurd, the product of its day-to-day experiences, its stubborn security and lack of the latter, its musical bombshells, incoherent sexuality and thrusting pleasure…narcotic pain – as it brings forward hints of Arabic Tarab, rock, to folk pop, electro, you can see Leila in every man and woman in the silent- come-raving audience. In this trajectory, they participated in music workshops and concerts in Amman and Cairo to maneuver their way into a pan-Arab music scene, to know and to announce, more importantly to grow, musically.
In March 2009, Mashrouʼ Leila won the Lebanese Modern Music Contest jury prize and public vote organized by Radio Liban in partnership with CCF, Incognito and the Basement. They released their debut album in December 2009 at what turned out to be Beirut’s biggest alternative (read non-mainstream) event in recent years.
The months leading up to the Arab Spring proved fruitful for Leila as well. In July 2010, Mashrou’ Leila headlined Byblos International Music festival alongside the Gorillaz and Caetano Veloso; this was the first time a Lebanese band was given a headlining post in the festival and proved to be Mashrou’ Leila’s biggest concert yet. Fall of 2010-11 saw Leila pack up her suitcases with shows in Qatar at the Doha Tribeca International Film Festival and at the Vodafone Big Day Out, headlining alongside Hoobastank and Toploader, in the United Arab Emirates at the Du World Music Festival and the Music Room – Dubai’s leading live music venue and in Egypt where the live at the Genaina Theater show saw a sold out crowd with people gathering outside the venue premises for a peek.
In the summer of 2011, Mashrou’ Leila released "el Hal Romancy" E.P., five songs of new material recorded in mountain retreats with cousins and turkish coffee, in the abandoned concrete dome in the Tripoli world Fair and with a quintet of strings on cold winter nights. The release was held at the Hippodrome of Beirut. Mashrou’ Leila also added Serbia and Jordan to the map, with a spot in the 4 day prestigious Exit Festival in Serbia and a 2 night show at the Citadel in Jordan.
After two years, one spent writing the other spent producing, one crowd funding campaign, touring and gigging all around, Mashrou’ Leila released their 3rd Album “Raasük” on 27 August, 2013, recorded at the mighty Hotel 2 Tango in Montreal.
The first hint of new material arrived when the band started a campaign asking the members of their social media pages to submit lyrics and video ideas to be incorporated in the band's upcoming single. "3 Minutes" was released on March 17, 2015.
Contrary to their common method of writing and producing songs, the band decided not to test their new material in live concerts, opting instead for secrecy and mystery about their fourth album. The band recorded the 13 tracks in studio La Frette in France over the summer with French-Lebanese producer Samy Osta, and worked on orchestral and brass arrangements with the Macedonian Radio Orchestra in F.A.M.E's Studios in Macedonia. The band has said that this album is their most pop album to date, and deals with topics that range from the euphoric to the destructive and depressive, all taking place in the politically, socially, and sexually charged spaces of Beirut's night.
The band experimented with drum machines, loops, samples, and several synthesizers in a new method of composition, trying to accommodate for the departure of keyboard player Omaya Malaeb. "Maghawir" narrates a possible version of a club shooting in Beirut, drawing on references to real Lebanese case histories from two different shootings that took place within the same week, both of which resulted in the deaths of extremely young victims, each of who was out celebrating their birthday." During a show in Boston, the band explained that the song "Tayf (Ghost)" is about a shuttered gay club, and "Bint Elkhandaq" tells the story of a friend who learned, "as hard as it is to be a woman in Beirut, it’s just as hard to be brown in the West."
The album is heavily loaded with allusions and references, both to contemporary figures of pop, and to mythological figures of gods and demons.
On the November 28, the band released Ibn El Leil at the Barbican in London with live broadcasting on MTV Lebanon available to the entire world to positive reviews. "In the seven years since Mashrou’ Leila formed at the American University of Beirut, the quintet – whose name, in fact, means 'overnight project' – have won comparisons to everyone from Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead to Roxy Music and Wild Beasts."
On December 1, Ibn El Leil debuted at the number one spot on local iTunes channels, and charted as number 11 on the international world Billboard charts. "It’s such an impressive performance that stadiums seem not only possible but imminent."
The band released a music video for their single "Roman" on July 19, 2017. The single was included on the deluxe version of Ibn El Leil released July 21, 2017.
On February 8, 2019, Mashrou' Leila released a new single, "Cavalry", the first from their upcoming album The Beirut School. The Beirut School was released on March 1, 2019. The album includes some songs from the group's previous album. The group toured North America in 2019 in support of the album.
On Aug. 9, 2019, the band was set to perform at the Byblos International Festival. The concert was banned against the backdrop of widespread rejection and accusation that the lyrics of one of the group’s songs offend the Christian faith.
In September 2022, Sinno announced that the band would be disbanding. Sinno cited harassment and hate campaigns as a reason for the band breaking up, especially because of Mashrou’ Leila’s hardships with bans in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. The real reason for restrictions on the band is his declared gender identity, as he defines himself as being queer — something that he believes was behind the attacks on the musical group and their work over the past years.
Many of the group’s songs touch on the issue of homosexuality, namely the 2009 song “Sham El Yasmine,” which speaks of a forbidden relationship and love between two men, and their struggle to lead normal lives together. The band also produced several songs addressing social and political topics in unconventional ways. The group members also touched on love, marriage, sex, religion, emancipation, the reality of Arab cities and revolutions, political assassinations and other thorny issues in the Arab world.
www.mashrou3leila.com
Maghawir
Mashrou' Leila Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
أولاً، سنة حلوة يا جميل
ثانياً، الليل حيكون طويل
قول لأمك ما تخاف الملهى علي بابه رصاص
ثالثاً، إلبس الأسود و إنزل
عالماً بس تتلچ فوق التلال
ويصير الصبيان رجال
مغاوير بعصمة الليل
علمونا ع الملعب نلعب عصابات
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
كنا سوا عم نتسلى وينك اختفيت؟
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
رابعاً، ما تحكي مع نسوان
علشان ما نسهر ع الجثمان
وما الست بس مقياس لكرامته قدام الناس
غالباً في ضب مضب جيابه
علشان الصبي إبن بيّه
هون ما حدا بينطال
أدونيس ضحية الأدغال
علمونا ع الملعب نلعب عصابات
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
كنا سوا عم نتسلى وينك اختفيت؟
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
ثانياً، الليل حيكون طويل
قول لأمك ما تخاف الملهى علي بابه رصاص
ثالثاً، إلبس الأسود و إنزل
عالماً بس تتلچ فوق التلال
ويصير الصبيان رجال
مغاوير بعصمة الليل
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
كنا سوا عم نتسلى وينك اختفيت؟
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
رابعاً، ما تحكي مع نسوان
علشان ما نسهر ع الجثمان
وما الست بس مقياس لكرامته قدام الناس
غالباً في ضب مضب جيابه
علشان الصبي إبن بيّه
هون ما حدا بينطال
أدونيس ضحية الأدغال
علمونا ع الملعب نلعب عصابات
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
كنا سوا عم نتسلى وينك اختفيت؟
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
شوب، شوب أوّصوك
The lyrics to Mashrou' Leila's song "Maghawir" are a reflection of the experiences of a group of young people living in a city that never sleeps. The opening lines of "أولاً سنة حلوة يا جميل تانياً الليل هيكون طويل" can be interpreted as the singer wishing the person they are addressing a happy new year and acknowledging that the night will be long ahead. The second line "قول لأمك ما تخاف الملهى على بعد رصاص" hints that they are heading to a nightclub that is not far away, and they are reassuring their mother not to worry for they are safe. The chorus "شوب شوب قوصوك" is a playful phrase that doesn't have a direct translation. However, it can be perceived as an invitation to dance and let loose.
In the second verse, the lyrics take on a different tone. The singer advises not to speak to women so that no one will stay up late in mourning. The lyrics mention a gun being carried by someone accompanying the boys to the nightclub. The line "هون ما حدا بينطال أدونيس ضحية الأدغال" is a reference to Adonis, who was a symbol of beauty in Greek mythology. The line implies that the singer's city is a jungle, and even a symbol of beauty would not survive.
Overall, "Maghawir" seems to be a coming-of-age song that captures the experiences of youth in the city who are searching for fun and excitement while also being aware of the dangers that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
أولاً سنة حلوة يا جميل
First, happy new year my friend.
تانياً الليل هيكون طويل
Second, the night will be long.
قول لأمك ما تخاف
Tell your mother not to worry.
الملهى على بعد رصاص
The club is just a shot away.
تالتاً البس الاسود وانزل
Third, wear black and come down.
عالماً بس تتلُچ فوق التلال
On the hill, when you twist.
بيصير الصبيان رجال
The boys become men.
مغاوير بعاصمة الليل
Soldiers of the capital of the night.
علمونا على الملعب نلعب عصابات
Teach us on the field to play gangs.
شوب شوب قوصوك
Chop chop, they cut you.
كنا سوى عم نتسلى وينك اختفيت
We were having fun together, where did you disappear?
رابعاً ما تحكي مع نسوان
Fourth, don't talk to women.
علشان ما نسهر عالجثمان
So we don't stay up all night mourning the dead.
هون الست بس مقياس
Here, women are only a measure.
لكرامته قدام الناس
For his dignity in front of people.
غالباً في طبنجة بجيابه
Most of the time, he has a gun in his pocket.
علشان الصبي ابن بيّه
Because the boy is the son of Ba.
هون ما حدا بينطال
Here, no one wears pants.
أدونيس ضحية الأدغال
Adonis, a victim of the jungle.
Lyrics © Sentric Music
Written by: Carl Gerges, Firas Abou Fakher, Haig Papazian, Hamed Khalil Sinno, Ibrahim Badr
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@kenzi8684
هون الست بس مقياس لكرامته قدام الناس
@YousefKnaj
شو يعني مافهمت اشي من الاغانية؟!!!
@peacefulleo9477
@@YousefKnajالأغنية عن إطلاق نار صار بملهى في بيروت. و طبعا فيها نقد للذكورية و كتير أشياء ممكن تنفهم منها.
@omarbenibrahim7501
@@peacefulleo9477
طيب روح عيش في دولة نظامها ليبرالي و شوف كيف المرأة يتم استغلالها و سلعنتها تحت رايات حقوق الانسان و المساواة المنافقة
@peacefulleo9477
@@omarbenibrahim7501 مين قال إني ليبرالي؟ أن شيوعي مبدئيا. الدول الي بتحكي عنها الي فيها "سلعنة" مشكلتها الرأسمالية. أصلا مبادئ مثل الليبرالية والديمقراطية مش متوافقة مع الرأسمالية كنظام...
@omarbenibrahim7501
@@peacefulleo9477
حتى الليبرالية من حيث الجوهر متناقضة مع قوانين الطبيعة الإنسانية لأنها تعتمد بشكل أساسي على فكرة المساواة بين الجنسين. أي أنها تنسف حقيقة الإختلاف البيولوجي الواضح بين الرجل و المرأة على المستوى السايكولوجي و الفيزيائي، مما يؤثر سلبا على بناء منظمومة اجتماعية سليمة و هذا ما تعيشه الان المجتمعات الأوروبية من ازمات التفكك الأسري و جرائم الاغتصاب و التحرش بالاطفال و تفشي المثلية الجنسية بشكل رهيب.
@angelicroz2
"رابعا ما تحكي مع نسوان، علشان ما نسهر على الجثمان"
This sentence right here is super sad yet impactful and real
@SatanFather
اشرحيلي المعنى
@angelicroz2
@@SatanFather ما تحكي مع نسوان (بنات) علشان ما نسهر على الجثمان (الجثة) يتكلم هنا على جرائم الشرف الي تصير عنا بالمجتمع العربي و المسلم. للاسف يصير كثير كذا لان عندهم البنت شرفهم ولازم ما تفضحهم فا تموت عندهم احسن من انه تكلم ولد😵💫 مدري اذا فهمتي/فهمت علي بس اتمنى وصلت المعلومة سليمة
@momoalraee4859
RIP to those who lost thier lives at that nightclub in Elmo3amelteen.